Mini-review: Still time to see Red, White and Blacklisted tonight

There's still time to see the 7 PM performance of "Trumbo: Red, White and Blacklisted" tonight (Friday Sept. 30) at the Miller center in Reading and it's worth it. It is the story of Dalton Trumbo, one of the Hollywood writers that was blacklisted for defying the House Unamerican Activities Committee in 1947. Charles Gallagher plays Dalton Trumbo and Kirk Lawrence plays his son as well as some of the interrogators from this dark period of American history. Told through Trumbo's actual letters, the play's message reaches out across time to share his wit, wisdom, and sometimes, sarcasm.The play is powerful and thought provoking, but it's intensity is broken from time to time with some truly funny moments. The letter Trumbo wrote to his son, Christopher, about coming-of-age issues like masturbation, is a great example of his sense of humor. You'll recognize his screen plays: "Exodus," "Spartacus," and "The Sandpiper" to name a few.
Tickets are only $5 and there's parking right next to the theater at Reading Area Community College. For more info here's a rerun of my earlier post:

Red, White, and Blacklisted Friday at RACC

SHOESTRING PRODUCTIONS IN ASSOCIATION WITH READING AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESENTSTRUMBO: RED WHITE AND BLACKLISTEDSEPTEMBER 30 AT 2 AND 7PM

SHOESTRING PRODUCTIONS AND READING AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE are pleased to present TRUMBO: RED WHITE AND BLACKLISTED; a play by Christopher Trumbo. Performances are September 30 at 2 and 7 pm.

TRUMBO: RED WHITE AND BLACKLISTED is based on the letters of Dalton Trumbo, compiled into play form by his son, Christopher Trumbo.

TRUMBO: RED WHITE AND BLACKLISTED culls from letters written by Dalton Trumbo, the language of which is some of the most literate, funny, and devastating you are likely to ever experience. The play spans the years 1947 through 1960. It opens with Trumbo's first appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee, where he and ten other screenwriters – the Hollywood Ten – were the first of many film professionals to be barred from their livelihoods by the Hollywood Blacklist.

DALTON TRUMBO MINI-BIO: Born in Montrose, CO on December 9, 1905, Dalton Trumbo was a screenwriter and novelist. He started writing for films in 1937, and by the 1940's, was one of Hollywood's highest paid writers. In 1947, Trumbo, and nine other writers and directors, was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee to testify on the presence of communist influence in Hollywood. All ten refused to provide information. For that, they were blacklisted and convicted of contempt of Congress. In 1950, Trumbo spent 11 months in the federal penitentiary in Ashland, Kentucky.

After serving his time, Trumbo moved his family to Mexico with another blacklisted writer, Hugo Butler. In Mexico, Trumbo wrote 30 screenplays under various pseudonyms. Collecting the fees for these screenplays proved difficult, and after several years, Trumbo, financially devastated, moved his family back to California.In 1960, Otto Preminger announced that Dalton Trumbo would write the screenplay for his film, Exodus. In that same year, Kirk Douglas would credit Trumbo with the screenplay for Spartacus. For Trumbo, the blacklist was over; for the first time in 13 years, his name would appear on films he had written.

Partial Filmography as Screenwriter: Johnny Got His Gun (based on his novel of the same title), Roman Holiday (story - as Ian McLellan Hunter), Papillon, The Fixer, Lonely Are the Brave, Exodus, Spartacus, Terror in a Texas Town (as Ben Perry), The Brave One (as Robert Rich – Academy Award), Our Vines Have Tender Grapes, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

TRUMBO: RED WHITE AND BLACKLISTED features Chuck Gallagher as Dalton Trumbo, and Kirk Lawrence as Christopher Trumbo and other characters.

TRUMBO: RED WHITE AND BLACKLISTED is directed by Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Lawrence, with the assistance of Susan Sneeringer. Peter Askin, director of the original Off-Broadway production and film offered wisdom, and archival video footage.

Tickets for both performances of TRUMBO: RED WHITE AND BLACKLISTED are $5 for adults, $3 for Students with ID.

For tickets, visit the Miller Center Events page at http://www.racc.edu/MillerCenter or call the Miller Center Box Office at 610-607-6270 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 to 3pm.The theatre is located at 4 North Second Street, in Reading. The production is rated PG-13. Adult situations.